The Raid is being turned into a Hollywood movie… but it's not technically being remade!

The Grey and The Blacklist film-maker Joe Carnahan revealed in a flurry of social media posts this week that he's working on a new version of director Gareth Evans's innovative martial arts neo-classic.

In a video posted on his Instagram, Carnahan and his star – Captain America: Civil War baddie Frank Grillo – watched clips from the original and explained how their version will differ.

For example, Carnahan envisions fewer SWAT Team members storming the mob headquarters so it's more impressive as they fight their way to the top of the building.

"It wouldn't be a remake. It'd be a re-imagining," Grillo stresses in the video.

There was obviously trepidation about Hollywood getting its hands on such a unique and beloved action movie franchise, so Joe Carnahan later explained he had the blessing of original director Gareth Evans.

"THE RAID remake will hew closer in tone & feel to THE GREY and NARC.

@Ghuevans is producing alongside & has given us his full blessing," he tweeted.

"It's not a remake. It's a reimagining of the same scenario. Everybody take a deep breath… You can't remake The Raid, guys. It's a fantastic film. So, ask yourselves why would we be doing it, unless we had something really special."

THE RAID remake will hew closer in tone & feel to THE GREY and NARC.@Ghuevans is producing alongside & has given us his full blessing.

"The Raid is not plot dependent. Once you get past the first 10 minutes, it's more about the adrenaline rush, and it's more about the experience. There is a plot but it's not hard to deviate from and come up with new ideas.

"So I feel like when it comes to the remake of The Raid, they can keep the opening setup, the first 5-10 minutes can be the same. After that they can branch off, they can do whatever they want. They can restructure the building to be completely different to the structure that I had for it.

"They can do a completely different architectural design and layout, and different gangs, different weapons, completely different style, different martial arts.

"They have the flexibility to deviate, and so that's a remake that's one of those things where, OK, the remake isn't such a bad option, and it's not such a bad idea after all."

New Raid director Joe Carnahan has also been linked to Will Smith and Martin Lawrence's Bad Boys 3, which will hit cinemas in late 2018.